Our Story
by Mozart's Starling
Summary: When Ginny Weasley meets Vasilisa Freeling on her first train to Hogwarts, she knows that she's found a friend for life. This is the story of some happy times, some sad times, but most of all the best times in the lives of two best friends. (Rated M just to be safe, later chapters will include Sensitive Topics and Issues, Language, Violence, etc.) NOT Yuri/Femmeslash.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, this story is basically going to be a series of short One-Shots, meant to give background on Ginny's friendship with my OC, Lissa. That being said, the focus will eventually shift from Ginny to Lissa, but I'm going to try to keep it Third Person Omniscient to keep from confusing anybody. I'm looking for a Beta, so if you're interested please PM me! All recognizable plots, characters, places, etc, belong to JKR. I only claim ownership of Lissa Freeling (if you like her and want to use her, you may, but try to keep her in character.)**

Eleven-year old Ginny Weasley stood, uncertain, on the Hogwarts Express. Her parents had long since disappeared from sight, and now she was all alone- and tough as she was, Ginny didn't much like that her youngest brother had deserted her. Maybe she could find the twins, if she looked. Dragging her old steamer trunk behind her, she huffed a little at its weight, and glanced into each compartment as she passed. After going through two cars, she began to grow tired of dragging the heavy baggage around. At that point she gave up hope of finding Fred and George and instead just searched for an empty spot where she could store her trunk. There were no empty ones, but there was a compartment that only had one other first year, a small girl with dark hair who was staring out the window, facing away from the door.

"Excuse me," Ginny said, her voice a tiny bit timid, "is this space taken?"

"I don't know," the girl replied, turning toward her. Hair obscured the other girl's eyes, and Ginny frowned. "Is it?"

"If you didn't want me to share the compartment you could have just said so," she snapped, her face going bright red. The other girl reacted with a slight tilt of her head, then laughed a little.

"No, no," she said, brushing her hair away from her face. "I wasn't trying to be a prat. I really didn't know." Ginny went even redder as the girl revealed her eyes, bright blue irises surrounding a milky-white, unseeing pupil.

"Oh… I'm sorry…"

The girl shrugged. "It's alright, everyone reacts like that. There probably aren't many witches who were born blind, are there? I guess magic can fix the babies."

"I don't know," Ginny said, shrugging a little. "I guess."

"Well, you can come in here if you want. I don't know anyone yet. My name's Lissa Freeling."

"Ginny Weasley," the red head said, a little more relaxed. She shoved her luggage onto the rack, and sat across from Lissa. "So… what house do you think you'll be in?"

"I have no idea. I didn't know there were houses."

"Oh, are you muggle-born?"

"What?"

"Is either of your parents magical?"

"No," Lissa said stiffly. "At least, my dad isn't. I don't know if Mami was, she died when I was younger."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It isn't your fault. But," she shifted a bit, turning toward the sound of Ginny's voice, "if I am muggleborn, does that make a difference?"

"No. It doesn't."

"Good. I'm different enough, I don't need another thing to single me out."

"Everyone's different. You should talk to Harry Potter, he came from a muggle family. And he's different too. He defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"Who?"

Ginny proceeded to spend much of the rest of the trip telling Lissa all about the Wizarding World, its history, her favorite celebrity, and Hogwarts. The other girl listened carefully, occasionally asking a question, or laughing when Ginny got sidetracked talking about Harry. As they approached the castle, Lissa smiled sheepishly.

"I was worried I wouldn't make friends- but now I'm glad. Do you think we could be friends, Ginny?"

"I'd love to be your friend, Lissa!"

"Then it's settled. Friends."

"Best friends."

The two girls giggled as they clambered off the train, Ginny leading Lissa by her shirtsleeve. Though they didn't know it yet, the two had just intertwined their lives in irreversible ways.

* * *

"You probably hate me."

Lissa turned toward Ginny, anger written plainly on her face. "Don't say that. I could never hate you." Her tone got a little icier. "I told you to get rid of it."

Ginny was still sullen, not looking at her friend as they sat in the deserted Common Room. "I know. I did try, a while ago. But Harry got ahold of it, so I had to steal it back."

"Should've burned it in the fire. I told you flushing it down Myrtle's toilet would only irritate her."

"I know."

"Stop sounding so sad." Lissa's tone was dangerous. "Like you should be guilty. It wasn't your fault, it was that damned diary. It made your brain go wonky."

"The basilisk almost killed you. And I was telling it to."

"That's what you're upset over? Ginny, I'm blind, it would've had to eat me or something, which it wasn't about to do. I was more concerned it was going to kill you. And when it took you down to the Chamber, I was beside myself. I ran straight to McGonagall." Lissa put her arm around Ginny's shoulder. "I thought you were going to die."

"I could've hurt so many people…"

"No, _he _could have. Not you. Ginny Weasley wouldn't hurt a doxy- not unless it was warranted anyway." The blind witch stood, pacing a little. "And you had no concern for yourself. God, Ginny! I can't how idiotic you're being. You can't do that to me. That hurts more than what nearly happened, a thousand times more." Lissa got quiet, turned toward the warmth of the fire. "You're my best friend. What would I do if I lost you?"

Ginny stood, made her way over to Lissa, and hugged the other witch. They stayed like that, sobbing quietly on each other's shoulders as the fire roared behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So, this particular story will probably be posted much faster than others (I hope to wrap it up within the month), as it's been nearly completed for a while now. Thank you to those that are reading and following! If you want to give your thoughts, I'd be happy to hear them. Don't worry, I read all reviews, PMs, etc. that come my way and really do appreciate criticism (and praise of course)! **

**Anyway, this Chapter's a bit longer. I realized I probably should mention that the asterisks signify a time jump, or the end of the one shot if you will. [EDIT: Now that they're there of course. Sorry about that.] This probably won't be an issue much longer- once I get past the sixth book much of it will be my own ideas, and I will be much more descriptive. Again, anything recognizable is JKR's, and Lissa belongs to me. Enjoy!**

"Lissa!" Ginny cried, throwing her arms around her best friend as she approached. The dark haired witch had come to see her off before her trip to Egypt, though it helped that her father's squadron was stationed not too far from the Burrow.

"Ginny!" Lissa laughed, hugging the other girl tightly. Ginny was now a few inches taller, but it didn't seem to matter to either girl as they giggled. "Here, come meet my dad. Daddy, this is Ginny- the girl I told you about from school."

Group Captain Freeling looked nothing like his daughter, with his pale skin, grayish brown hair, and deep brown eyes. He was an imposing man, hardened by a difficult life and years of service to the British Air Force, but he nonetheless smiled a small smile at Ginny, stooping to shake her hand. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Weasley. I've heard a lot about you- thank you for taking such good care of my little girl last year."

"Yes, sir," Ginny said, formality coursing through her like fire. Lissa made a sound of annoyance, though, at her father's behavior. "Would you like to come inside? My mother's just put the kettle on."

"That would be lovely. Lissa," he said, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "What was the agreement?"

"But Daddy…"

"No buts. You'll hurt yourself."

Grumbling, Lissa flicked out her rarely used cane like a whip. Ginny began to guess where Lissa got her strong will from, suppressing a grin. "It's just in here, it's kind of a tight fit, since Bill and Charlie are home, but we manage." She lead the two Freelings through the door and called out. "Mum! Dad! Lissa and her father are here!"

Mrs. Weasley came bustling out, her wand in hand and a huge grin on her face. "Welcome, welcome!" She said, extending a hand which the Admiral accepted with a nod and small smile. "And hello Lissa dear, it's wonderful to be able to finally meet you. Arthur! Arthur, come in and say hello."

"Hello there!" Arthur Weasley said as he came in, wearing a headlamp that seemed to have several wires sticking out of it. The Admiral was a little taken aback at this, but still accepted Arthur's hand with a surprised smile. "Arthur Weasley, welcome to the Burrow. I see you've met my wife, Molly."

"Group Captain John Freeling," Lissa's father said, shaking Arthur's hand firmly. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Weasley."

"Pleasure's all mine! Please, have a seat anywhere- I know it's a little small, but we do alright."

"Oh I quite like it. Compared to the barracks it's a grand improvement."

"That's right, Ginny had mentioned you were in the muggle Armed Forces! And that you flew those large metal birds."

"Planes, yes," Freeling chuckled. "And I heard you were in the Ministry of… Magic, was it? Which branch?"

"Misuse of Muggle Artifacts," Arthur said proudly. The Group Captain looked a bit surprised at such an odd title for a Ministry Branch, and began to question Arthur as to what his job entailed.

"Come on," Ginny whispered to her friend, taking Lissa's hand. "I'll show you my room. They'll be here for a while."

The two girls giggled their way up the stairs, finally disappearing into Ginny's room, leaving the door cracked. Ginny lead Lissa around, directing her to various objects around the room so she could get a sense of place. Then, the two plopped on the floor and began to talk about their summers. Lissa was due to go to Spain to visit her grandmother, but they promised to write every day.

"Knock Knock," came a low voice from the door of Ginny's room. "Hey Firecracker! Who's your friend?" Charlie, Ginny's second eldest brother, walked through the door, toothy grin on his face. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal his burns, some of which stretched all the way past the fabric.

"Charlie!" Ginny giggled as her brother bent down to ruffle her hair- he was her favorite of all her brothers, the only one who would play with her (and let her use his broom). "This is Lissa, she's my best friend."

"Hi," Lissa said cheerily, looking up to where Charlie's voice had come from. Charlie frowned a bit.

"Hah, it's alright kid, you can look at the scars. I'm not gunna bite." Ginny scowled at him as Lissa's head snapped downward, blank eyes staring at him as her brows knit in minor irritation. "What?"

"Charlie, you're such a hippogriff sometimes. Liss, he didn't-"

"It's alright," Lissa said, a smirk threatening to betray her mockingly serious tone. "Like sister like brother, right?" She chuckled a little as Ginny spluttered in embarassment, turning to Charlie. "I'm blind, so I don't think I could stare at your scars if I tried."

"Oh, Merlin," Charlie groaned. "I'm so sorry, kid. I thought you just had like, really light eyes. Most kids just start or look away, so I thought you were going that route."

Lissa shrugged non-chalantly. "It's okay. I know how you feel- most people don't know what to say to me either." Ginny watched as Charlie stared at her friend in shocked disbelief. "And just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't feel people's eyes on me," she challenged, leaving Ginny to giggle as Charlie dropped his eyes.

"Hah, I like you kid. You've got guts. Take care of my sister will ya?"

"Long as you take care of my best friend," Lissa countered, grinning. Charlie laughed and left the two to play and gossip, as young girls were wont to do.

* * *

"Told you ya should've let Josie eat that rat."

"Oh shut up, Liss."

* * *

"What do you mean they attacked the World Cup?"

"They were setting everything on fire. We were lucky we got out, they hate Blood Traitors just as much as muggle borns. Probably more than muggle borns."

….

"I have a bad feeling about this Tournament, Liss."

"Me too."

* * *

"So it's like, a dueling club?"

"Yeah, kinda. Except it's totally against the rules."

"Since when have we cared about rules? Anyway Gin, you know I'm useless in battle. Can't hit anything smaller than a hippogriff."

"Don't say that."

"It's true though!"

…

"I know! You can be our lookout. No one can hear as well as you, or stay hidden as well either. You'd be perfect! And so what if you can't hit a moving target, you're amazing at other things, like healing. We could really use you."

"Well… alright. Just for you though. And I'm not signing that bloody list."

"Alright, alright. Thanks Liss."

"Yeah, yeah."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So here's the third installment. After this one, it'll probably be only a single one-shot per chapter, as they've gotten longer I have also fixed the page break problem! Yay, no more confusion! I really apologize for that. This is also the last of the "happy" chapters, at least for a while, as we're coming into the seventh book and I have a few things planned. And I love that so many people are reading! Please, if you like, let me know what you think in a review, or a PM if you want. **

Lissa was practically breathing fire at Ginny when she visited her best friend, who was in the Infirmary having her ankle repaired. Ron was in another bed, completely out of touch, while Luna read _The Quibbler_ in the bed next to Ginny. "Are you insane?" Lissa hissed, having been warned not to shout by Madame Pomfrey. "You nearly got yourself killed you idiot! Not to mention the fact that Malfoy nearly murdered Hannah Abbot thinking she was you! You're lucky I got myself caught, it would've been on your head if something had happened to that girl."

"Come on, Lissa, I'm really tired… Can't we do this later?"

"No. We're doing it now." Lissa crossed her arms defiantly, scowling irritably. "Do you have any idea what all of you put us through? Specifically what you personally put me through? Dammit Ginny, you're the best witch our age at magic but that doesn't mean you can go take on a horde of Death Eaters, not with just five other people, only three of whom are decent enough in curses to have even made a difference!" A warm glow began to emit from Lissa's body, causing Ginny to, for the first time in her life, become scared of the young witch next to her. "All for some idiotic boy who won't give you the time of day!"

"Hey-!"

"Don't 'hey!' me!" Lissa growled, voice bordering on loud now. "You don't want to hear it, but it's true. I have watched you pine after Harry damn Potter for years, and I've had enough. That boy is not good enough for you. Maybe if he ever gets his act together, MAYBE he might be worth a chance. But for God's sake Ginny do not let him rule your life."

Silence reigned in the Hospital Wing. Finally, Ginny sighed. Her voice was hollow, desolate- it tore at Lissa's heart, but not as much as seeing her best friend in pain did. "You're right, Liss. Maybe I should just forget all about Harry. I'm nothing more than Ron's little sister to him."

Luna, who had been seemingly oblivious to the conversation, suddenly spoke up. She looked over at Ginny, a dreamy smile on her face. "Not to Dean Thomas though. He certainly fancies you."

"Dean?" Ginny was shocked, but Lissa nodded knowingly.

"Yes Dean. Why don't you give him a go? At the very least it'll stick it to Harry, should he ever realize you're not eleven anymore."

"Well… alright. Maybe I'll give it a go with Dean then."

* * *

Lissa sat next to Ginny on the bed, brushing her hair with expert fingers. It took years of practice and a certain finesse to tame Ginny's wavy mane, but Lissa was something of a natural. Ginny always thought it was her heightened sense of touch, but she'd never admit it to the other girl. "So. Are you going to tell me what happened with Dean?"

"We broke up."

"Gunna have to give me more than that, chica."

Ginny was quiet for a bit as Lissa's fingers worked into her scalp. "It just wasn't working. I mean, he was so controlling and acted like I couldn't do anything for myself."

"Perhaps he was just being gentlemanly."

"No, it was more than that. He'd get really jealous and over possessive when I would talk to the guys on the team, or anything else. I don't want that kind of relationship, Lissa." The other girl was silent as she teased the long red tresses.

"Well, I know you don't much like my advice. But, I say you need to do what you need to do, Gin. I'm not saying stay with Dean… but you have to consider the possibility that you're blocking yourself from having a relationship because you're still a little hung up over Harry."

"That's not fair. I've been dating Dean for a good six months now. I was doing well."

"Mmm, but I can still sense it Ginny. You're clinging."

"I don't think it's that easy getting over your first crush."

"Well sometimes you have to," Lissa sighed, taking her hands away. She laid back on the bed, face turned upward and sadly thoughtful. "Sometimes… it just can't happen. No matter how much you might want it to."

Ginny looked down at her friend, suddenly realizing that they might not be talking about her situation any longer. "Hey… Liss… why do we always talk about my boy problems and not yours?"

Lissa shrugged, not turning her head. "I don't know. I don't really have many boy problems I guess."

"Why not?"

"No one here interests me."

Ginny was quiet. "Well… are you… ya know… not into that?"

"What?" Lissa frowned, now concentrating her full attention on Ginny's voice. "You mean like, am I into girls? No." She laughed, a short sound filled more with disbelief than mirth. "God no. I mean, whatever. I guess I wouldn't care when it came down to it. But I'm pretty sure I'm into blokes. Just not any of the ones here."

"Oh." Ginny blushed in embarrassment. "Well… what bloke are you interested in then?"

Lissa's face suddenly turned stony, her voice bled of all emotion. "No one."

"Liar."

"It doesn't matter. It wouldn't work anyway."

"Hey Liss?"

"What?"

"Take your own advice, will you."

"If only it were that easy Ginny."

* * *

As Harry searched for her brother over the top of her head, Ginny searched for Lissa over his shoulder. Though there was no way she could have known what happened, or where Ginny was in the room, Lissa stood, leaning against the opposite wall, with a drink in hand. She seemed to sense Ginny's eyes on her, because the second the redhead found her best friend in the crowd, Lissa smirked almost imperceptibly, lifting her glass in a sort of toast to Ginny's happiness.

* * *

"I'll kill him," Lissa snarled as she held Ginny closely, allowing the redhead who never shed a tear to sob quietly against her as the ceremony ended and most other guests filed away. She could feel a primal rage swelling deep within her as she listened to her friend, who had pined after that Potter for years only to have her heart shattered. "I swear, that no-good prat had better hope Voldemort gets to him before I do."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So this Chapter is incredibly short, but that's only because if I had combined it with the next one, there would have been 2k+ words, and I did say I was going to do single one-shots chapters for a bit. The next chapter will have a soft M rating because of a very Sensitive Topic, but more on that later. Don't forget to review! I want to hear your thoughts. :)**

A crack of apparition woke the entirety of the Burrow, its occupants still on edge after the attack they'd endured the day before. It was only Ginny and her brother Charlie now though. They had refused to leave, and there wasn't much Arthur and Molly could do about it. The alternative, in their minds, was to drag Ginny kicking and screaming to Muriel's, and then further risk her running off to try and find Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Better to let her stay in the protective custody of her elder brother, the dragon tamer.

Ginny was quick to grab her wand, eyes wild as she searched for her brother in the darkness. Charlie stood on guard, his makeshift bed on the floor of her room looking like it hadn't been slept in. Both Weasley's listened, their bodies tensed and ready for action. A pounding came on the door, followed by a hysterical female voice. "Ginny! Ginny please, help me!"

"Lissa." Her face bled of color, and she sprinted down the steps, ignoring Charlie's protests. Ginny rushed to the door and threw it open, revealing Lissa, who was shaking with fear. A cut on her head was bleeding rather badly, and she looked as if she'd been in a fight. "Oh Merlin's beard-"

Charlie shoved past Ginny, pointing his wand at the girl in the doorway. "The day I met Lissa, I told her to take care of my little sister. What did she say back? What was it?"

"I, ah, I said "Long as you take care of my best friend,"" Lissa stammered. Charlie lowered his wand in relief, taking Lissa gently by the arm to lead her inside to a chair.

"I'm sorry. I had to check." Lissa just shook her head, and Ginny came over with a wet cloth. She hissed in pain as Ginny wiped the blood away from her cut.

"Sorry, sorry… Lissa, what happened?"

"Death Eaters," she choked, shaking anew. "They came into the barracks, I've been sleeping in my father's quarters just in case… and they thought, they thought I might have information, about you or-or Harry." Lissa's expression was wild. She grabbed Ginny's arm. "They tried the cruciatus, but when that didn't work they tried my dad… he couldn't handle it. My… he's… he's with my mother now." A sob wracked Lissa's body and the Weasleys exchanged a glance of horror. Lissa was an orphan, both her parents lost. "They left when they realized I wasn't going to give them information. I guess they thought it was safe, since I can't identify them at all." She buried her face in her hands. "One of the Wizard families near the base let me use their house elf to get here. I think the name was Bones or something. I couldn't think of where else to go."

"It's alright," Charlie said, putting his arms around Lissa, who began to cry into his shoulder. "You're safe now. They can't hurt you anymore."

An hour passed and Lissa had taken a shower, borrowing a tee shirt and shorts from Ginny to use as pyjamas. "I'll have to go back. All of my school stuff is there, and I left Josie…"

"I'm sure Josie's okay," Ginny said, secretly hoping the little cat would be fine. "And we'll all go tomorrow. You need some rest though." Charlie came into the room, handing Lissa a greatly appreciated sleeping potion. She laid down not long after, followed by Ginny, leaving Charlie to watch over them, his heart breaking every time he looked at Lissa's sleeping form.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: So, soft M-rating for this chapter. It's about to get a bit darker as well- we might have a ray of sunshine in the future, but remember, there's a war going on in their world. Nothing can really be a fairytale. Don't forget to review! And I promise to wait a while before posting a new chapter this time. Like a day. Maybe.**

Ginny had just returned from her detention with Hagrid- exhausting, yes, but better than a night in the Carrow's dungeon. Even Filch, sadist that he was, avoided that place like the plague. She supposed it was her status as a pureblood (a blood traitor yes, but a pureblood all the same) that spared her from that terrible place. Maybe it was the fact that Lissa threatened to start a riot that same night, earning her double detention and effectively taking the spotlight off of Ginny, Neville, and Luna. Whatever it was, she was grateful.

Her legs hurt a little from walking, but that was to be expected. It had been months since Quidditch was disbanded, so she wasn't exactly in top shape. Nonetheless, it was still irritating that her calves burned as she climbed the stairs to the dorms.

"Who's there?" A terrified shout came from the third floor. Ginny sighed a little and knocked on the door.

"Just me, Alice," she said patiently to the third year who'd shouted. "I had detention remember?"

The door flew open with a bang, and a little blonde girl grabbed Ginny's hand. "We thought he was coming back." Alice's eyes and voice were panicked, her body shaking. Ginny kneeled down, placing her hands on the girl's shoulder.

"Calm down," she whispered, glancing about. The rest of the third years were huddled on their beds, eyes wide and scared- after a quick head count, Ginny realized that the first and second years had also decided to hide with their older friends. "Who did you think was coming back?"

"A bad guy," one of the first years squeaked. "A big, bad guy in a black cloak."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No," Alice muttered, shaking her head. "He went to the sixth floor. We… we heard someone screaming so we locked ourselves in. The rest of the dorm was supposed to have individual Dark Arts tonight."

Ginny went white- the only student who was exempt from individual lessons had been cut from the class because the Death Eaters didn't see her as an asset. She was the only witch in the community who had such an unusual disability. "Alice," Ginny asked, her voice shaking, "did anyone go check on Lissa?"

"I… I don't know. We were too afraid."

"That's… that's okay. I want one of you to go get Professor McGonagall. Tell her to bring Madame Pomfrey."

"But the Carrows-"

"Here." Ginny handed the girl one of the extra DA coins she'd smuggled in. "If they give you trouble, you can use this to call the rest of the DA. Now go, and be fast! The rest of you stay put, and don't make a sound." She turned and practically sprinted up the stairs to the sixth year's dorm.

The door lay slightly ajar, and Ginny toed it the rest of the way open, wand drawn. The room was an absolute mess, with the bed curtains torn from several of the four posters. It was absolutely, deathly quiet in the room. "Lissa?" Ginny called, her voice carrying as she tentatively entered the room. A few headboards were splintered, indicating that curses had been fired. Her panic rose as she called again, "Lissa! Where are you?"

A muffled noise came from the corner of the room. Ginny lurched toward the sound, and gasped in horror as she saw the body of her friend, lying limply in the corner. Lissa was on her side, almost lifeless, her hair wild and frayed. She had a serious bruise welling under her right eye, and her cheek was bleeding at a steady rate. Her cloak was torn and other bruises were just visible at the hems of her sleeves, as if her wrists had been held too tightly. Ginny fell to her knees and reached out to touch her best friend, hesitating a bit as she saw that Lissa's panties were around her ankles, tangled on the edges of her rebellious knee-high boots. "Neville!" She shouted, hoping her voice would carry. "NEVILLE!"

"Ginny! Ginny what's wrong?"

"I need you to come up here now!"

"I can't Ginny, the enchantments-"

"For the love of- Accio Neville." There was a thud and a shout, but eventually, Neville hovered into the room, looking determined.

"Merlin, what the bloody hell happened?"

"I don't know, but Lissa's hurt." Ginny brushed the hair out of her friend's face, then pressed her fingers to the girl's neck. "Still breathing, and her pulse is strong. But she's unconscious, and those bruises look bad. The third years said they heard screaming, that some man came up here."

"Carrows," Neville growled angrily, but Ginny shook her head.

"They're in charge of individual lessons tonight. It had to have been someone else."

"Snape?"

"I… I don't know." Ginny glanced again at Lissa, eyes zeroing in on the underwear. Snape was evil, but could he have…?

"Oh bloody hell." Neville blushed and looked away, having followed Ginny's eyes to Lissa's boots. "Do you think she-?"

"It's kind of hard to not think that," Ginny whispered, watching Lissa's face. In a weird way, she looked almost peaceful, totally relaxed. It was cruel to think that Lissa had been attacked in such a way, but even worse to think that she would never know who her attacker was. Not unless she recognized them by voice. As much as Lissa tried to pretend that she was just as tough and capable as any other witch, Ginny knew that deep down, the girl was all too aware of how vulnerable she was. "I sent a third year to get McGonagall and Pomfrey."

"Should we move her downstairs?"

"No, I think we should leave her. Maybe McGonagall can figure out what happened."

As if called by their words, McGonagall flew into the room, Madame Pomfrey and Alice on her tail. Neville caught hold of the young girl before she could get close enough to see the state Lissa was in. "Go check on your friends," he advised, and she nodded slowly, glancing at Ginny before rushing out of the room.

"What happened?" Madame Pomfrey was performing a number of spells as Professor McGonagall turned her attention toward Ginny. The witch shook her head, unable to answer.

"A man came up," Neville said. "While everyone but the younger students were out. No one got a good look at him, at least we don't think so."

Madame Pomfrey straightened up, her face weary but set in determination. "I don't think it would be practical to bring her to the Hospital Wing, not if she was attacked and we haven't found the wizard responsible yet. Mr. Longbottom, if you would please move Ms. Freeling to the bed, I can perform a quick examination."

Neville nodded, gently lifting Lissa and moving her over to the bed. He looked down at her with a pained face, then accompanied Ginny downstairs. It was hours before they were let back into the dorm, though the rest of the sixth year girls had long since returned and elected to try and get some sleep in the seventh year's room. Lissa was awake now, her face red from crying, though she smiled a little when she heard the door open. "Hi," she croaked, voice hoarse and scratchy. Ginny knelt by the bed as McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey left, grimly determined looks on their faces. Neville lowered himself into a chair and patted Lissa's hand awkwardly. She cringed a little and shied, causing Ginny and Neville to glance at each other meaningfully.

"Hey Liss," Ginny said softly, hoping her voice was cheerful. "How you feeling?"

"I've been better," Lissa joked, but her laugh was half hearted, and a few tears escaped her eyes. Neville looked anxious, not knowing whether to say anything or just to stay silent. "I ah, don't remember much at all. He never said a word, just shot some hexes and knocked me around. Next thing I know I'm in bed and they're telling me that… that…" Lissa succumbed entirely to sobbing at this point, and Ginny sat up on the bed, hugging her tightly.

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay Lissa. It's okay."

"No, it's not," she choked. "What if I'm pregnant?"

"You're not," Ginny said firmly. "Don't think like that."

"But what if I am?"

"Then we'll deal with it," Neville said softly, smoothing out the bed sheets in an effort to keep his hands busy. "We just have to take it one step at a time Lissa. And Ginny's right. Chances are, you're not pregnant. Don't worry, alright?"

Lissa cried for a while longer, before she finally calmed down. "Thanks," she sniffed, wiping her tears away with the hem of the blanket. "Will you stay here tonight? I don't want to feel alone." Neville agreed to stay as long as she needed, while Ginny offered to sleep next to her, just in case. It was well into the morning hours before anyone got rest, as Lissa would rest for an hour or so before the night terrors would wake her, and her screaming would wake the others. Eventually, however, a dreamless sleep did find the little trio, giving them all a reprieve from the hell that was gradually taking shape in their waking hours.


End file.
